Shadow's Past Chapter 1

Shadow's Past Chapter 4

-Tomorrow-

"Testing his immune system had lifted my hopes greatly!" Gerald recorded in a little tape recorder, "Now, I'm almost 100% sure my plan will work! All that is left to do is inject the NIDS into Shadow's immune system and let him take it from there. Find the cells that neutralized the NIDS extract it and make the cure from there!" Gerald quickly wrote in a journal.

Shadow sat on the floor with Maria at a game of checkers.

"King me~" Maria slid over a checker.

Looking irritated Shadow placed a checker on her 'king'. She giggled watching him.

Gerald came into the room, "Maria, it's time."

She jumped at his entrance and frowned looking nervously at Shadow.

"It doesn't hurt." Shadow got to his feet.

"Yes it does." Maria said.

"No it doesn't. I'm poked with them just about everyday, if they truly hurt I wouldn't let them do it." Shadow said helping Maria up with a smirk.

They entered the lab room where a doctor with a needle waited. Maria gripped handfuls of Shadow's fur and pulled on it tightly. Shadow clenched his teeth to bare with the pulled fur.

They sat her up on the chair and she trembled going pale and the palms of her hands went clammy.

"Calm down honey." The doctor said to her seeing her tens.

"Just don't look." Shadow said, "I can't." He admitted as he cringed a little looking at the needle.

"C-can we do this, another day?" Maria asked.

"We put it off long enough Maria, if we don't do it soon, you might not have another day." Gerald said sternly. They all looked at him showing the slight fear. Maria bowed her head and Shadow pressed his ears back.

"Okay..." She sighed and looked away taking Shadow's hand she held it tightly as she felt a little pinch at her arm. Shadow dared not look at the blood being drawn from her body and stayed looking at her face. He was picturing the so called 'veins' that run through the body and how the needle would go in to not burst and damage a vein.

"All done." The doctor said. And covered her little puncture wound.

"Phew. And I never want to do it again!" Maria relaxed and hurried off the chair. They all laughed and Shadow gave her a 'you did great' hug.

"Thank you Maria. Now go play." Gerald scooted the two off.

"Let's go see is Abraham will play with us!" Maria led the way out.

"Who?" Shadow asked being pulled by the hand.

"Abraham. He's my friend I used to play with before you was created. We haven't talked for a while."

"Oh." Shadow followed and stopped behind her at a door.

"Hi! Is Abraham in?" She asked a woman who answered the door. A little boy with one brown eye and one blue eye showed up at the door by the woman's legs.

"Hi Maria!" He said happily but a automatic hint of fear came across the boy's face when he set eyes on Shadow.

"He's here but he can't play right now." The woman said angrily, "He has to clean his room." The door closed on their faces.

Maria shrugged with a frown, "Guess we'll find something else to do." She skipped away happily.

Shadow was about to follow but picked up conversation behind the wall.

"But I already cleaned my room!" the little boy's voice whined.

"Oh I know, but your not going near that thing of a creation from that insane professor!" The woman's voice yelled.

"It doesn't hurt Mari-"

"It will be the end of us all! Yes in deed you just wait. In fact I called your father and we are getting off this ARK as soon as possible!"

"Shadow!~" Maria's voice flooded his ears and he turned to her attention. "C'mon Shadow whatchya waiting for?" She waved him to follow.

He walked to her slowly still eying the door.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"She wouldn't let that little boy play with you because of me..." He said sadly.

"Oh, Shadow..." Maria took his hand, "Don't pay any mind. Your the only friend I need." She smiled and pulled him along down the hall.

Shadow tried to shake off this feeling of self judging and guilt as he played along with Maria. People were leaving because of him. Maria lost friends because of him. He couldn't feel more worse than he did now... could he?